


Strays

by rhoen



Category: Naruto
Genre: Cats, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, M/M, Polyamory, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-20 01:53:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11326221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhoen/pseuds/rhoen
Summary: “Yamato, put it down. Please.”Yamato’s expression fell. “You don’t like cats?”“No, it’s not that,” Genma tried to reassure him, now close enough to do something if the surprisingly docile cat launched itself in the wrong direction. “But that thing probably has fleas. And tomorrow it’ll be back, with friends. Seriously, Yamato, half the strays in Konoha are going to turn up if they think there’s food and attention to be had.”





	Strays

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to katlynwtf and tacheeucheehoo for allowing me to bounce this idea around and for keeping me company in the doc while I wrote it <3
> 
> I take GenRaiYama very seriously :D

"I'm home!”

It had barely been forty-five minutes since he left their shared home, yet Genma called out the habitual greeting anyway, toeing his sandals off as he hugged the bag of groceries to his chest. Mostly he did it for Yamato and Raidou's benefit, but it was nice to come home to company. Since returning from his last mission Yamato had kept somewhat of a low profile in the village, taking only two B-ranked missions, and, although he’d never freely admit it, Genma was glad. As far as he was concerned, Yamato needed a home, and time to heal. He and Raidou were only too happy to give him that.

“In here,” Yamato called from somewhere in the sitting room, his voice distant. Genma couldn’t help grinning, and then giving a huff as the items uppermost on the precarious pile made a bid to escape. Trapping them with his chin, he padded through to the kitchen where the smell of breakfast still clung to the air, and deposited the lot on the counter. Items slid out and, after making sure they weren’t about to fall to the floor, Genma set about putting them away.

About half a minute later, he looked around, frowning. Yamato was uncharacteristically absent, and if he hadn’t heard his voice Genma would think he was asleep, or out.

“Yamato?”

The strangely distant voice called back: “Give me a minute!”

Curious now, Genma set the peppers back down on the worktop, attention on the doorway leading to the sitting room. Yamato was too helpful for his own good, and something had to be keeping him. He didn’t sound particularly alarmed or distressed. If anything he’d sounded preoccupied.

Genma half expected to find Yamato with his nose in a book, or maybe even gazing out the window. He certainly didn’t expect to find Yamato halfway out the window, leaning forward precariously so he could reach down to touch… something.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh,” Yamato gave a small, almost nervous laugh that warmed Genma right through. “I was just…”

At that point Genma noticed the plate balanced next to Yamato on the windowsill, the crockery being bumped as the ex-ANBU folded even further forward to grasp at whatever he was trying to reach.

“There was a cat, and I wasn’t really hungry. I thought Kage could do with some food.”

Genma’s heart sank. “You didn’t,” he breathed in disbelief, taking a step closer to see that yes, Yamato had been feeding a stray cat – a rather mangy looking black one with a bald patch on one shoulder. “You named it!?” was his next incredulous response.

The cat now secure on his lap and in immediate danger of actually entering their home, Yamato looked round with a soft, uncertain smile; the kind that left Genma unable to deny him anything. Yamato didn’t even realise he was doing it.

“He was hungry.”

“Yamato, put it down. Please.”

Yamato’s expression fell. “You don’t like cats?”

“No, it’s not that,” Genma tried to reassure him, now close enough to do something if the surprisingly docile cat launched itself in the wrong direction. “But that thing probably has fleas. And tomorrow it’ll be back, with friends. Seriously, Yamato, half the strays in Konoha are going to turn up if they think there’s food and attention to be had.”

“It’s just one,” Yamato pleaded, stroking the black cat with firm, careful touches. Genma glanced at the plate by Yamato’s hip, noticing that everything was gone.

“One today, a hundred tomorrow,” Genma said gently. His own hand came up to play with Yamato’s hair, fingers carding through the soft brown locks with affection. “Besides,” he continued, leaning down to place a kiss on the crown of Yamato’s head, “we already have one stray.”

He could hear Yamato drawing breath to protest, and then letting it out in a soft exhale, his hand stilling on the cat’s shoulder. Unable to resist, and knowing that Yamato would also appreciate the gesture, Genma stroked the cat carefully, relieved when it didn’t swing around and try to take a bite out of him.

“I bought groceries,” he reminded the other man, knowing it would be understood as a request for help.

“Give me a minute?” Yamato asked again, turning to look up at Genma.

A man like Yamato shouldn’t be able to appear so innocent, and yet there was something in his gaze that melted Genma’s heart completely. Even if he had been resolved to drag Yamato away or force him to fling the cat from his lap he would have faltered.

Removing the senbon this time, Genma leant in for another kiss – a proper one this time. Yamato’s lips were as soft and sweet as always, undoing him with the most fleeting of touches.

“Close the window when you’re done.” Genma conceded as he drew away, managing to put enough distance between them to feel like he could walk away rather than lean in for another kiss. “And maybe put your pants in the wash after. Raidou’s allergic.”

As he turned away he heard the soft curse, and couldn’t help grinning to himself when he heard Yamato talking to the cat, actually giving it an apology and an explanation as he tried to extricate it from his lap. Genma couldn’t guess which of them was clinging more, and if it wouldn’t cause so much trouble he’d let Yamato keep the thing, or at least bring it in for an hour or so.

But, as he’d said, he and Raidou had already taken in one stray, and that had been enough to complete their lives.


End file.
